Obituary - Marita Bartholome

Marita (O'Rourke) Bartholome, 75, passed away in her Melbourne, Florida home on Monday, March 16 after a wonderful weekend of visits from family, calls with her grandchildren, walks on the beach, and dinner with friends - all of her favorite things.

Marita was born in Chicago, Illinois, on May 22, 1944, to Bill and Betty O'Rourke, and was raised in Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from St. Theresa's High School and Avila College and was an internationally certified Montessori School teacher. In 1968, Marita married William Gibson Bartholome, and together they had three children, Bridget Bartholome of Bolinas, California, Sheila Bartholome of Bonner Springs, Kansas, and Claire DeMarco of Chelsea, Massachusetts.

After living in Maryland, Texas, and Illinois, Marita and her family returned to Kansas City, and while spending time at home with her children, Marita received a joint Masters Degree in urban planning from the University of Kansas. She worked for several years in a local Kansas City, Missouri planning firm before returning to teaching and working until retirement at Holliday Montessori School in the KCMO Public School District.

A lifelong artist, Marita participated in drawing and painting communities everywhere she lived - including the Art Institutes in Chicago and Kansas City. She was most well known for her abstract use of watercolor and portraiture with oil crayons. She often chose to make subjects of her beloved grandchildren, Hannah Bartholome-Kraus (18), Aidan Bartholome-Kraus (9), Avery and Emerson DeMarco (7), and Margaret Sloane DeMarco (3).

Marita is survived by her seven siblings: William A. O'Rourke, Eileen Upton, Mary Beth Hodes, Terry O'Rourke, Kevin O'Rourke, Brian O'Rourke, and Amy Straus as well as their spouses, children, and grandchildren. She was Nana to her own grandchildren, as well as countless grandnieces and grandnephews, and most recently to the children of Indian Harbour Montessori School where she worked as a substitute teacher in retirement.

Even during her short time living in Melbourne, Marita was able to build a family around her, spearheaded by Michael and Lucy Lauer, fellow Kansas City transplants. The Lauer family supported and cared for Marita as a member of their own extended family. She was also beloved by her neighbors in and around Pinafore Place, where she walked the beach daily and sat out in the evenings enjoying the beautiful weather.

Memorial services will be held in Kansas City once travel restrictions have been lifted. For more information and in order to share memories of Marita, please visit: http://remembering-marita. squarespace.com .